The present invention refers to a communications system for selectively sending prerecorded messages from a transmitter unit to mobile, passing-by receiver unit. In particular the invention is related to selectively sending voice messages from at least one but generally several fixed transmitters to randomly roaming receivers individually coming within range of a particular transmitter, wherein each message content is customized or dependant on the location of the transmitter sending it. More particularly, the present invention is directed to selectively beaming messages of interest to people of the general public passing by predetermined locations or stations.
The present invention may be put to different applications, such as educational, cultural or commercial. For instance, visitors to a museum may listen to prerecorded summaries of each object as they walk by or stop to look. Another application selectively beams publicity material to prospective buyers, such as to entice them to sale offers and the like.
One such application particularly targeted by the present invention is inside a supermarket wherein a plurality of transmitters are located in relation to particular products or brands and each push-cart, or at least a great number thereof, is provided with a stand-alone receiver unit. Each transmitter contains at least one customized voice message, such as a special discount offer for a particular product on a shelf nearby or advertising a brand in the midst, which it may transmit to a selected receiver once the latter has been detected within the range of the former and a communication link, such as radio or infrared, is set up therebetween. The cart-mounted receiver may contain a small loudspeaker for relaying the message to the supermarket customer. In other applications, such as in the museum referred to hereinabove, the receiver may be a portable unit to be carried by the visitor and she or he may be provided with earphones to avoid disturbing people nearby.
Hence the invention is directed mainly to relaying different messages to people according to their whereabouts at each moment. In cases such as in a supermarket, the invention affords an attractive improvement over the system sometimes used heretofore consisting in sequentially broadcasting a same message to everyone. Such a system is of limited use, cannot be focussed precisely on people in front of particular merchandise and its penetration is relatively superficial, particularly since it is generally repetitive.